Fixed line services declaration inquiry 2013

Project overview

On 11 July 2013, the ACCC commenced a combined public inquiry into the declaration of the fixed line services. The existing declarations for the six fixed line services expired on 31 July 2014. The ACCC was required to conduct a public inquiry to determine whether the existing declarations should be extended, revoked, varied, allowed to expire or re-made by this time.

On 17 April 2014, the ACCC published its final report. It made the decision to extend each of the six line services for a further five year period, as well as making a number of variations to the existing service descriptions.

The new declarations will come into force on 1 August 2014.

Timeline

Background

Since the fixed line services were last declared in 2009, significant changes have taken place in the communications sector as a result of technological developments, changes in consumer demand, policy settings, and industry consolidation. The ACCC is therefore undertaking a comprehensive review of the implications of these industry changes for regulation of fixed line services.

These services are the

unconditioned local loop service (ULLS)

line sharing service (LSS)

public switched telephone network originating access (PSTN OA)

public switched telephone network terminating access (PSTN TA)

wholesale line rental (WLR)

local carriage service (LCS)

This declaration inquiry is part of the overall review of the fixed line services known as the fixed services review. The ACCC is also running a related inquiry into making final access determinations (FADs) for these services and the wholesale ADSL service.